Yang Geum-Hee
Born in 1967 in Jeju, Korea, Yang Geum-Hee has published two collections of poetry books ‘Happiness Account’ and ‘Ieodo, Island of Legend and Existence’, as well as one collection of essays titled ‘Happy Companion’. She was the first president of the Ieodo Literature Association, the editor-in-chief of the Jejuin News, and worked as a research fellow at the Society of Ieodo Research. She served as a researcher at the Jeju Sea Grand Center at Jeju National University and a specially appointed professor at Jeju International University. Currently, she is editorial writer for the New Jeju Ilbo, a special researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences of Jeju National University, vice-president of the Jeju Regional Committee of the Korean PEN Center, Executive of the Jeju Institute for Korean Unification, and Executive of the Korean Association of Ethics. She has won four literary awards.
Looking at Halla Mountain and Nanga Parbat’s peak
The moment we step out of our mother’s embrace
And set foot in the world,
We realize that life is about breaking out of our shells.
When we taste the freshness of the unknown world,
We grow up by feeling the height of the world while looking at the mountains.
No matter what mountain it is,
We take one step at a time towards its summit,
Overcoming any obstacles and being reborn anew.
Even if we face disappointment, wound, sadness, and pain,
We rise again and seek the joy of life,
Discovering the truth of a new life.
As I look at Hallasan,
And you gaze at Nanga Parbat,
We give each other wisdom for a new life,
Showing each other greater potential for growth.
Encouraging each other, we break out of our shells and grow.
Life is about continuously breaking out of new shells,
Finding joy and confidence when we open eyes to a new world.
We blossom friendship towards each other,
Endlessly searching for new possibilities in life.
Being reborn while looking at the mountain
Means discovering our inner selves,
And growing as we overcome all difficulties in life.
***
한라산과 낭가파르바트 정상을 바라보며
어머니의 품에서 벗어나서
세상에 발을 내디딘 순간,
삶은 껍데기를 깨는 것이라는 것을 깨닫게 된다.
새로운 세상의 신선함을 맛볼 때,
산을 바라보며 세상의 높이를 느끼며 자라나게 된다.
어떤 산이든 한 발자국씩,
또 한 발자국씩 그 산의 정상을 향해 나아가며,
어떤 난관이든 극복하고 새로운 삶을 시작한다.
좌절, 상처, 슬픔, 아픔을 겪어도,
다시 일어나서 삶의 기쁨을 찾아가며,
새로운 삶의 진실을 발견하게 된다.
내가 한라산을 바라보면,
그리고 네가 낭가파르바트를 바라보면,
우리는 서로에게 새로운 삶을 위한 지혜를 전하며,
서로의 가능성을 끌어올리며 성장한다.
우리는 서로를 격려하고, 껍데기를 깨며 성장해간다.
인생은 새로운 껍데기를 깨면서,
새로운 세상을 열 때마다 기쁨과 자신감을 찾아간다.
우리는 서로의 우정을 피어나게 하며,
새로운 가능성을 끝없이 모색하며 성장한다.
산을 바라보며 새로운 삶을 시작하는 것은,
모든 어려움을 극복하면서
내면을 발견하고, 성장하는 것이다.
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